Did you hear about the poker playing dog…
Hi Y’all,
A Christmas Story to start (True Story).
A few years ago I was flying home from Los Angeles to Toronto. Our flight got stuck with what they called the “Blue Flu” basically the Delta flight crew went on take a break strike and left me stranded in St. Louis. The 24th of Christmas is a tough day to get stranded with 300 passengers - with only so many shuttle buses - rooms - and new flights available. I wasn’t in a hurry (back 10 years ago when I was single and up for free flight anywhere in the world) and decided I would kick it at the Riverboat Casino. I gave up my hotel room (good deed #1) put a family together on a shuttle bus as people piled on (good deed #2) and made a few calls to Santa on behalf of a tearful 5 year old traveller.(good deed #3). It felt good that I had no worries with regards to getting on the next flight or home. You know what they say…do good and good will come.
For Christmas that year, before I left on my flight, I got a book on CRAPS from a friend - written by Sam Grafstien … otherwise know as the DICE DOCTOR.
Bruttle read..sort of like my blog. His grammer was piss poor - his style of writing - made it seem like he was discussing Craps with a few of the hoods in Tony Soprano’s back room. But it was all about Craps and how to play the game and give yourself a chance to make money. I had to reread that book time and time again over the years and may be the best “gambling” advice I have ever read.
I applied his concepts that first Christmas and it was like a lightning bolt as I cashed for the first time. I played his progressive betting system and remember walking away up like a hudnred dollars when all was said and done. It was the first winning session where I felt I had a chance to win. And it became a constant when I gambled. It was great…First - I had a plan on every roll of the dice. Second - I had a BANKROLL plan, playing at certain limits, moving up after big wins, and right back down after any loss. This step system, helped me become a “good” gambler if there is such a thing. Craps is still a game that can take your money quickly so anytime I hit a casino I stick to my bankroll rules and it works out pretty good.
The simple basic premise was MONEY MANAGEMENT. Save your money by betting on those shooters that hit eight or ten points….very rare….but the concept was awesome. If your a craps player I highly recommend his book. Bottom line was Money Management. Bankroll yourself smartly and you’ll have a chance to beat the odds, and turn a profit. Bet like an idiot and you’ll be lined up at the ATM time and time again.
And that Sounds like me at the Poker Sites. Wrong levels, too much gamble - not enough thought into my BANKROLL MANAGEMENT. But I’ve learned - learned the hard way.
So this New Year’s that is my research project. I have put some thoughts down on a structure to make sure I don’t run into the Netteller site for some time. BANK ROLL MANAGEMENT will be my first step in becoming a solid consistent winner.
On a personal level, this was my first Christmas where my work has taken me on the road for most of the late stage of the year. I am a Jr. Hockey Coach, and this season I had to move 6 hours away from my gorgeous wife and angelic daughter to follow my dream of one day running my own program. Pretty selfish, but I guess you’re lucky when you can find that one thing you are passionate about and turn it into a career. Hockey is that passion…and now I am realizing that Poker can be that passion as well.
So this break I was able to spend 10 days at home, and with my daughter. It puts it all in perspective when you see you’re 14 month old at Christmas time. She is my everything. It was a great Christmas. Then comes New Year’s and those pesky resolutions.
New Year’s always is a hit or miss for me… it’s like the turn in golf. Sometimes I am on such a roll that I blow through 18 holes…on fire. Other times it’s like when I would eat a big Hotdog and Coke at the 9th tee shack. Hope my back nine would salvage the day. This year - its pretty much a salvage. When I discuss Poker - it follows the old adage Poker is life…and I could use that Hotdog.
Here is my Epiphany…follow the way of the successful.
First, I can’t teach you anything about poker…I know nothing. What I learned is from others, its their model…and I apply their theories - models - on how to win, play and compete.
Sometimes that works for me - other times a complete failure (ussually a discipline issue). I believe that I need STRUCTURE to succeed. I don’t have Annette’s feel - I believe I can take the incomplete information I have, my cards, the pot, odds etc. and make a decision that leads to wins. It has worked for me….not by feel but solid game theory. Think it through.
I have played and dominated large field MTT’s (5$ buyins mind you) and have taken them deep - consecutively. I had a focus on my starting cards. And regardless of what type of players at my table and their play, I think in those tournaments I have succeeded in - it was MY PLAY that I controlled. The structure of my play was such that every aspect of the hand was taken into consideration and in the end my decisions were sharp.
Finally if I am to be a winner this year - the start has to be with understanding my BANKROLL and how and when I am going to raise my limits, and what I’ll do if I drop in my roll. I look forward to working my way up to a Super Nova player and know that I have the gamble and smarts in me to make that happen. Discipline is key…
So I’ll keep blogging on my ride and hope you’ll take the time to drop me a comment. Have a great new year’s and follow my journey at www.bigbamboompoker.blogspot.com
And the DOG…well he was an awesome poker player - only problem was when he got a good hand he would wag his tail…..
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Comments
I’m sorry, but mathematically speaking you know that the craps book makes no sense, right? How do you know somebody is shooting 8s and 10s. The ONLY way to make money at craps is to control the dice and only very few people in the world are able to do this.
J.T. what was the advice in that book that is so valuable to you? Is it basically just that it was the first time you read something advising money/bankroll management or is it something a little more?
The Dice Doctor is an interesting read for a variety of reasons.
First, it starts by telling you not to be too proud of being a gambler. Interesting that most books praise you for purchasing their read, not Sam - he lambastes you as a degenerate so I had a laugh over that.
Second, the definition of how to properly handle your money at the craps table with regards to progressive betting, handling the vigourish of place betting, and how to lock up profit and not get greedy is awesome. It is by far the best book on CRAPS I have ever read. He has a pass line theory, don’t pass, come bet and place bet progressive betting system. It makes you progressively increase your bets as you win, and lock up profit…with a sound betting strategy.
Proof is in the pudding - my 2008 started off with a trip to the Casino and a nice run at the Craps table. Made a 400% return on my iniital bank roll so trust me the advice works…one great Shooter - happy New Years to him. As others would pick up their little red chips, I was picking up blacks as I continued to increase my bet. At one point, a 12$ place bet on eight was parlayed into a $300 eight.
Skipped playing poker because the champagne was free and my ability to find the chair was a little off…lol. Hope that helps. You can purchase the book from the gambler’s little bookstore in Vegas or perhaps do a google on line.
http://216.119.84.254/dice/index.html
This is a link to a site that has a complete description of the book, its theories and reviews. Interesting site.
http://www.bj21.com/bj_reference/pages/10537.html
No matter how fancy packaged, progression systems never work in a -EV game. You can minimize your losses with craps, but do realize you are still playing a -EV game.
I do bellatrix. I understand the EV (I prefer Vigourish) in the game of Craps. I had an interesting software program called Wincraps that would allow you to manipulate the dice…if you could roll the dice once out of five times on the proper axis … your EV was almost even.
I not pretending I can control dice or anything - but this progressive system also offers a lock up bank managment system which is unlike any other.
Trust me - I LOVE CRAPS and have read every book/system known to man. The Dice Doctor has made gambling at the Craps table fun. When I win - I win a lot more than any other player…who starts with the same roll.
This isn’t a fancy smancy system that pretends to preach you can win. What it does is make you a “smart” idiot gambler in the words of Grafstien.
Bella, thats why you and I are poker players - the Ev is in our hands….
Click Here…
In the long run there’s no luck in poker, but the short run is longer than most people know….
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We play at the same level, I find that starting hand requirments are the only true way for me to win. I am trying to rebuild my bankroll on Tilt, Stars I am ok. Good Luck to you… great article.